Intra-provincial travel accounted for 78.3 percent, according to the academy.

The recent independent travel report issued by the academy and the Chinese tourism website Mafengwo showed that short trips of no more than three days have become prevalent among young travelers, especially those born in the 1980s and the '90s.

Travelers have given priority to experiential excursions, usually involving gourmet food, a nice homestay or new ways of exploring a nearby destination, the report says.

Camping and skiing, as well as museums and night-sky observation experiences also greatly contributed to the popularity of short trips.

Data from major online service provider Meituan revealed that, since the first quarter of 2020, there was a significant drop in the demand for trips that go beyond 300 kilometers.

Trips within a 50 km to 300 km radius have been the most popular, according to Meituan.

One or two long-distance journeys a year, for average households, have been replaced by more frequent short trips nearer to home, says Zhang Chuan, a senior officer with Meituan.

"It has given rise to many new forms of consumption that offer more immersive experiences, injecting new momentum into the development of the culture and tourism industry," Zhang says.